Mountbellew Poor Law Union
Bound volumes of manuscript and typed minutes recording details of attendance and proceedings of weekly meetings relating to the maintenance, administration and financing of the workhouse, distribution of out-door relief, and the care of workhouse inmates relating to their accommodation and employment, and to medical, pastoral, educational, and dietary needs. Minutes include statistics on the number of persons accommodated in the workhouse, together with the numbers of births and deaths, and the number receiving outdoor relief; confirmation that various reports, financial and other records, such as the Workhouse Register, Provision Check Accounts, Out-door Relief Lists, Medical Officers’ books, and reports of the Visiting Committee, the workhouse Master and other Officers were produced, examined and approved together with details of required action relating to the information provided therein, and details of all monies received or paid, and all orders and cheques given, such as those required for the supply of food and clothing; details of rates collected, arrears, and declared irrecoverably in each electoral division; also includes details of orders and letters received from or written to the Poor Law Board and others, and details of subsequent resolutions passed and instructions issued authorising required action; details of the master’s report and resolutions adopted to address any issues raised therein; and provision is included for minutes of the proceedings of the Board under the Medical Charities Acts and Nuisances Removal and Disease Prevention Acts, and under Public Health Acts; the proceedings of the Board as the Sanitary Authority are recorded; and proceedings of the Board of Guardians acting as the Rural Sanitary Authority under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts are included.
Only occasionally are inmates referred to by name, usually in the context of specific situations such
as an application to be discharged or a disciplinary matter.
The minutes are generally dated, and signed by the Clerk of the Union, and/or the Chairman.